Videographer Katongole Abdu Hakim popularly known as Kim XP and former Makerere University guild Roy Ssemboga have been arrested in Bugiri district.
The two are among several people picked from Planet Hotel in Bugiri Town during the Wednesday morning police raid.
They had accompanied Kyadondo East Member of Parliament (MP), Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi popularly known as Bobi Wine who is in the district to drum up support for Jeema President Asuman Basalirwa, who is one of the candidates vying for Bugiri Municipality MP seat in the July 27 by- election.
Others arrested are Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro (Deputy spokesman DP), Tumuhairwe Denis,
Ssenyonjo Sheriff (Bobi Wine’s personal assistant), Lukwago Ramadhan, lawyer Ukasha Ssekajja, Joseph Ssenyange, Julius Katongole, one Njuba (Bobi Wine’s driver), Andrew Natumanya, Sulaiman Kakooza, Kenneth Kiwanuka and two women who are yet to be identified.
“We are being told that since President Museveni is campaigning in Bugiri today, they wanted to arrest me and the team so as to ensure he finds a smooth ground. This is very wrong and unfortunate. This is our country! We’re in a political contest, not in a military contest. All of us should be left to campaign for our respective candidates so that the people decide for themselves who to vote. The NRM more than anyone else should remember that intimidation of this kind has been used throughout history but it never wins in the end,” Bobi Wine wrote on his Facebook wall.
Some of the people arrested are detained at Bugiri Police Station while others were reportedly transferred to Iganga and Bugiri police stations.
The arrests come after the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) secretary general, Justine Kasule Lumumba, on Monday expressed concern over a group of people from Kampala allegedly led by Bobi Wine whom she cliamed are engaging in acts of lawlessness within the area.
Ms Lumumba appealed to the police to intervene, fearing more people risk being injured ahead of the July 27 election.
This Friday, voters go to the polls to elect a Mayor and MP for the newly created Bugiri municipality.
Campaigns officially end today and President Museveni and Dr Kizza Besigye are expected in the municipality to drum up support for their respective party candidates.
Three candidates are vying for the MP seat and they include Basalirwa (Jeema), Eunice Namatende (FDC) and Joel Wamono, an independent.
The would-be fourth candidate, Hajji Siraj Lyavala, formerly the district chairman, recently stepped down from the race in favour of Basalirwa.